


Memories Gather Round Her

by TopShelfOfficial



Series: Communication is Key [2]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Colleen Holt could really use a break., F/M, Mom and Daughter convos, The Holt Parents, plance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-26
Updated: 2018-05-26
Packaged: 2019-05-14 03:24:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,069
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14761679
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TopShelfOfficial/pseuds/TopShelfOfficial
Summary: After more than a month of reconnecting with her son, Colleen Holt begins to wonder if she'll ever hear from her daughter directly, or if she will only know her as the legend she has become.





	Memories Gather Round Her

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, the title is a reference to 'Country Roads' by John Denver.  
> Yes, I am that basic.

 

She's still getting used to having Sam around again. When he stood in front of her again after almost two years of believing she would never see him again, she couldn't decide if she wanted to laugh, cry, scream, hold on to him tightly, hit him for hours, or kiss him senseless. In the end she wound up doing all those things throughout the day. The hitting and screaming increased particularly when he told her that he left their children to fight in some Centuries old intergalactic war. With time she grew used to this new reality, concern about the fates of her children not withstanding. That concern was soon slightly alleviated when a mysterious caller requesting to face time with her or husbands private cell repeatedly, turned out to be Matt. Tears flew down her cheeks as she watched this battle hardened young man, in whom she could still see her baby boy, tell her about how he was doing. Seeing him like this made her realize why Sam had been able to leave him behind. Whatever had happened out there had changed him, to the point that where he was not only capable of taking part in the frontlines of a war older than human civilization, but willing as well. She couldn't be any prouder. Her only issue now lies with her daughter. Not that she wasn't proud of her too, quite the contrary. It brought her joy to hear about her adventures and accomplishments. However, therein lied the problem. She heard about Katie's escapades. Matt would gush about her inventions, including the device that made this conversation possible, endlessly. His fellow extraterrestrial rebels would regal her with the adventures of the Green Paladin. She heard amazing stories about her daughter from everyone, except her daughter herself. And as much as she enjoyed hearing about her, she just wanted to see Katie for herself. She missed her little girl. But she was beginning to think that the feeling wasn't mutual

 

***

It had been a little over a month since Matt first started calling her, and still not single word from Katie. Colleen was slowly growing used to this reality, but it particularly stung on this day. She went over the last few memories she had of her, angry, stubborn, determined, unwilling to give up the hope that their family was still alive. She never opposed her, yet she didn't actively support her either. When she obsessively went over the news footage of the crash, all she did was ensure she went to bed on time. She nodded her head noncommittally, when Katie went on about her theories. She apologized on her behalf when the Garrison delivered her home, kicking and screaming. But she didn't fight the banishment; didn't fight for her. When she found large locks of hair in her bathroom, Matt's glasses missing, and a not that only said, 'I'll find the truth.', she honestly couldn't say she was surprised. Iverson barging into her home and ranting about a 'Pidge Gunderson', did give her a little pause though. She had to admit, it was satisfying to be the one to withhold information for once. Although, she had thought she was doing her best in regards to her daughter, given their circumstances, perhaps Katie didn't see it that way. Perhaps, she had expected her to more actively help assist her in her quest for answers. Maybe she should have pulled rank and demanded answers, like Katie did, instead of just accepting what the Garrison told her. If she had even once told her that she believed in her, without question, then perhaps she would have reached out to her by now. _'After all, why else wouldn't she talk to me on this da....'_ her thoughts were interrupted by her phone buzzing. The same error message that always accompanied Matt trying to call her was on display, and although she was happy to hear from her son again, it was not exactly who she was hoping to hear from on this day. Regardless, she accepted the request for a video call, praying that this would not be one of his colleagues informing her of his death for a second time in her life. She almost dropped the phone when she saw who it was.

“Hey, Mom....”

***

She was beautiful. “I...uhm...I....Matt told me you've been asking about me...” Her hair was longer than she had expected from Sam's description, but not too long. As if she had only started growing it out again recently. “It's not that I didn't want to talk to you up till now...I just didn't......” She thinks she might have become a little taller, and she has the same air of maturity around her that surrounds Matt now, yet the invisible burden on her shoulders seems heavier than her brother's. “...I still don't know what to say so...” It is only now that notices the other person sitting beside Katie, holding her hand reassuringly. He's older than her, Colleen would have to guess seventeen or eighteen, tanned, and about a head taller than her. She doesn't know who is for sure, but from Sam's description she would guess that he is the Red Paladin, Lester? Lanny? (It'll come back to her later). What she can easily surmise, from the way his eyes won't leave her, is that he has intense feelings for Katie. “...couldn't stop thinking about how I just left you after we already lost Matt and Dad, so I understand if you're mad....”

“Katie!” She finally exclaims, bringing her daughters words to a halt. “I'm so happy to see you. You've grown up so much! Matt and your father keep raving about you, not to mention people of species I didn't know existed. And I'm just so proud of you, and so sorry for not believing in you...”

“Mom! What are you talking about?” she responds emphatically. “I was the one who ran away after you've lost so much. I didn't even say goodbye. I'm the one who's sorry. And I'm also sorry it took me so long to call you. I was just so worried that you would be mad at me...”

“Oh, make no mistake, I am furious. And the moment the war is over and you return, I'm grounding you until you graduate from college. But that should never be a reason for you not to talk to me. I love you, Katie. And no matter what you do, or where you are, that will never change.”

“....You have no idea how much I miss you, Mom.” She says with misty eyes.

“I'm sure it's not even a fraction of the amount I miss you.” This makes Katie smile as she wipes her developing tears. “So, are you going to introduce me to this young man, or...?”

“Oh, sorry. Mom, this is Lance, my boyfriend.” Her baby had a boyfriend, where had the time gone?

“It's a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance, Dr. Holt. I can see now where she got her looks from, and I gotta say, she lucked out in the genetic lotte...Ouch. What the Ruggle?”

“Can you not make things weird?”

“I wasn't making things weird, I was trying to make a good first impression!”

“By hitting on my mom?”

“I was paying her a compliment and, by extension, I was also paying you one.”

“You promised you would behave...!” as the two continued to bicker, she couldn't help but see the affection Lance—that had been his name—had for her daughter, reflected in Katie's face. This was more than just an average Highschool Romance for them. There was undeniably love between them. Once again, she felt so woefully left behind. “Whatever, we'll finish this later...”

“You can finish whatever you want, se...”

“Dude! My mom is still right there!”

“Sorry!” He said very sheepishly. Colleen couldn't fight the amused smile on her face.

“So, Mom.” Katie started. “I hope I didn't interrupt any important work....”

“No,...I took the day off.” She was actually looking for a bakery that made special order within the one-two hours.

“Oh, well with the adjustments I made, this conversation won't be as draining on your power, but it will still cause some major strain on your cell's data, so it's best if we only talk for another twenty minutes. I promise, I'll call you more often from now on, or you could just call me, since my signal saves itself to your phone. In the meantime, do you have any questions?”

“....Who is Pidge Gunderson, and why was Commander Iverson so dead set on finding him?”

“...Oh, yeah. I should probably tell you how I got here.” And so she launches into her long, and fascinating account of how she infiltrated the Galaxy Garrison, and became a Paladin of Voltron. (It still astounds her that this the reality she lives in.) She listens to her presumably summarized version of the past year in rapt attention; Only interrupting to gasp, laugh, and/or cry. She doesn't know how much time passes, but recognizes that their conversation has come to an end, when the feed begins to lag.

“I'll call you again soon, Mom. I love you.” Katie says, as she prepares to disconnect them.

“I love you too, baby. And Happy Birthday.”

Lance's eyes widen, while her daughter gives her a bittersweet smile that Colleen is only too familiar with from her own reflection. “Thanks, Mom. Tell Dad I'll be calling his cell in a few hours. That should give you enough time to reach him. Talk to you then.”

“You didn't tell me it was...”Is the last thing she hears from before the connection shut down. After a few more minutes, she finds a bakery that her family frequented before they got spirited away to space. It would have been her first choice had she not been feeling emotionally conflicted, but now that conflict has been remedied, she feels she can go there with a clear conscience. After she puts in her order for Katie's favorite cake, Ice-cream cake with peanutbutter and chocolate flavor, she calls up her husband. “Sam, Katie finally called me.”

“I knew she would, nobody loves her family like our daughter.”

“I know, but I was beginning to think, that I would also need to be abducted by aliens before she sought me out.”

“Too soon, dear. And you know her, she was probably working out the perfect thing to say.”

“Yes, that's true.”

“How's she doing?”

“Amazing. I could hardly believe my eyes when I saw her. She was so grown-up. And she introduced me to her boyfriend.”

“Oh, so you met Hunk?”

“I'm pretty sure his name was Lance.”

“Are you sure? I could have sworn she was interested in Hunk.”

“On what did you base this finding, Commander?”

“Well, they both are interested in similar scientific fields, worked together closely. And they argued about modulations, like we used to.”

“Arguing about modulations is hardly a grounds for a relationship. Besides, Katie is not like us.”

“You don't have to tell twice. The most adventurous thing I did when I was her age was try beer.” The Holts shared a laugh at this anecdote, shedding a little bit of worry along with it. Colleen was still nervous about her childrens' situation, but now that she could reach out to both of them, they seemed just a little less distant.

 

_____

Bonus:

“You didn't tell me it was your birthday! What gives?!! Now, I don't have anything prepared.”

“It honestly escaped my mind. And I don't think celebrating birthdays within the first year of a relationship is such a big deal. Of course, I'll do my best for yours since you are turning eighteen, but you don't need to sweat it. Besides, you were with me on this big moment, and that's all the gift I could ask for.”

“Aww, Pidge. You're an angel” Hugs her. “So, how old are you today?”

“Sixteen.”

“Eeep!”

“What?”

“It's your Sweet Sixteen! We have to celebrate now!!!”

“No, we don't. I don't even care about it, why are you....Are you seriously pouting right now?”

“...”

“And giving me Puppy Dog Eyes?”

“...”

“...”

“...Fine, ask Hunk if he'll put together a birthday feast.”

Kisses Pidge. “Thank you. I love you. I owe you!” Runs off to find Hunk happily.

“Idiot.” She laughs.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know about you guys, but I kinda see Colleen, as a Bio-mechanic, or at the very least, some kind of programmer.  
> Special thanks again, to @ares-is-a-tired-pigeon, for Beta Reading. You're my personal Red Paladin.


End file.
